Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Online - PC - Preview

Even though the man himself has been
a controversial figure in the news as of late, you cannot deny that Tiger Woods’
golf franchise has long been a strong title for EA SPORTS as well as golf gaming
as a whole. The franchise has been one their highest sellers throughout the
years, even though its PC presence has been on the decline recently. However, EA
SPORTS is gearing up to bring the franchise back to the PC in a big way with
their upcoming web-based entry to the series, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online.

A browser-based title that focuses
on an online experience with micro-transactions, Tiger Woods Online will be the
next step in the franchise’s evolution. However, the game is geared to be more
than just your standard throwaway browser-based experience, offering a
surprising amount of polish and aesthetic quality that rivals the console games.
Even better, the game can be run on any number of browsers and is based in
automatically updated, secure streaming server architecture, and you should have
to worry about system requirements in order to get a great golfing experience.

The gameplay itself is fairly
simple. You can line up your shot any way you want, and click your mouse button
in order to take your shot with the right amount of power and finesse. Anyone
should be able to get the initial gameplay down very quickly, regardless of your
familiarity with the Tiger Woods series. As you play, you’ll be able to gain
skill upgrades and customize your golfing avatar, spending real-life cash and
in-game currency on new equipment and clothing items.

The game will begin with seven
different real-life courses, including Torrey Pines, St. Andrews, TGC Sawgrass,
and several others. More will be added monthly, and each one will have a set of
achievements and objectives that will net you bonuses as you master them.

As far as the community features,
Tiger Woods Online will deliver in spades. The Golf Live feature allows you to
chat with other golfers on the same hole, even seeing their shot lines while you
chat and exchange hints about the course. You’ll be able to create special
groups amongst your friends which let you set up custom private matches and
tournaments.

One pretty cool feature is the cut
line, which is lifted from real-life golf. The game will feature real-time
performance based cut offs for each day. Depending on the general performance of
the game’s community, the cut line will be set to differing levels. If you make
the cut line for the day, you’ll gain cash and XP. You can even sponsor your
friends, getting boosts for yourself if they manage to make the cut line for the
day. Fans can also be gained either from your game friends or via Facebook,
netting you even more bonuses for the size of your gallery.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online is
shaping up to be a fine golfing experience for casual users and experts alike,
and should be one that will expand on the series in great new ways. Check it out
for yourself, the beta is now live at
www.tigerwoodsonline.com.